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Missing
Cats are vanishing all over the neighborhood, but Jonas Shurmann doesn't care.
He thinks cats are spoiled brats who don't appreciate anything people do for them. Jonas has bigger problems in his the ridiculous-looking chicken costume he has to wear to his class Halloween party, working at the vet's office after school, and his math book getting thrown into the yard of a haunted house. Those are real problems!
At least that's what Jonas thinks, until he discovers he can hear cats talk.
Through his newfound power, Jonas befriends two cat detectives, CatBob and Neil Higgins, and together the trio sets out on a pulse-pounding adventure that leads them straight to the door of a haunted mansion that holds the chilling truth behind the disappearances.
Crime Cats has been recommended by Columbus Parent magazine and made Columbus Metropolitan Library's 2015 Summer Reading list. The series is a favorite for parents and children to enjoy together, and an excellent choice for elementary school teachers and librarians. (Ages 5-12)
*** CRIME CATS IS A PROGRESSIVE SERIES***
Collect the books in
1. Missing
2. The Dusenbury Curse
3. The Deadly Scarab
4. TBA (Summer 2016)
-----------------------------------------------
PRAISE FOR CRIME
"Highly recommended as a gift for young cat lovers, and for public and school library children's fiction collections!" --Children's Bookwatch
"...a rollicking good adventure/mystery that will appeal to kids and adults alike." --PopCult Blog
"This was a great read!!" (4 out of 5 stars) --Bring On the Books Blog
"Almost every single day I have at least one request for your books! They are never on the shelves! When one is returned it is automatically given to the next student on a hold request." —Tammy Arndt, Librarian, St. Michael's School in Worthington, Ohio
"'Crime Missing' provides a much needed genre for an age group of children who have limited, interesting books to read. It is a mystery with an element of scary that children love to read. Including cats as characters is another aspect that appeals to young elementary aged students. This is the start of a great series that includes historical facts about the Columbus area. Students will love the adventure. Adults will enjoy the historical facts. Looking forward to the 3rd book in the series. Keep them coming!" --Jacquie Schmittauer, Library Media Specialist has served 27 years with Worthington Schools
He thinks cats are spoiled brats who don't appreciate anything people do for them. Jonas has bigger problems in his the ridiculous-looking chicken costume he has to wear to his class Halloween party, working at the vet's office after school, and his math book getting thrown into the yard of a haunted house. Those are real problems!
At least that's what Jonas thinks, until he discovers he can hear cats talk.
Through his newfound power, Jonas befriends two cat detectives, CatBob and Neil Higgins, and together the trio sets out on a pulse-pounding adventure that leads them straight to the door of a haunted mansion that holds the chilling truth behind the disappearances.
Crime Cats has been recommended by Columbus Parent magazine and made Columbus Metropolitan Library's 2015 Summer Reading list. The series is a favorite for parents and children to enjoy together, and an excellent choice for elementary school teachers and librarians. (Ages 5-12)
*** CRIME CATS IS A PROGRESSIVE SERIES***
Collect the books in
1. Missing
2. The Dusenbury Curse
3. The Deadly Scarab
4. TBA (Summer 2016)
-----------------------------------------------
PRAISE FOR CRIME
"Highly recommended as a gift for young cat lovers, and for public and school library children's fiction collections!" --Children's Bookwatch
"...a rollicking good adventure/mystery that will appeal to kids and adults alike." --PopCult Blog
"This was a great read!!" (4 out of 5 stars) --Bring On the Books Blog
"Almost every single day I have at least one request for your books! They are never on the shelves! When one is returned it is automatically given to the next student on a hold request." —Tammy Arndt, Librarian, St. Michael's School in Worthington, Ohio
"'Crime Missing' provides a much needed genre for an age group of children who have limited, interesting books to read. It is a mystery with an element of scary that children love to read. Including cats as characters is another aspect that appeals to young elementary aged students. This is the start of a great series that includes historical facts about the Columbus area. Students will love the adventure. Adults will enjoy the historical facts. Looking forward to the 3rd book in the series. Keep them coming!" --Jacquie Schmittauer, Library Media Specialist has served 27 years with Worthington Schools
168 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2014
2 people want to read
About the author
Wolfgang Parker
11 books9 followersWolfgang Parker is the accidental author and illustrator of the "Crime Cats" children's mystery series. He wrote the first volume, "Crime Cats: Missing," as a gift for his nineteen nieces and nephews and soon found people of all ages enjoyed reading the adventures of the Chicken-Boy of Clintonville and his cat detective partners.
Wolfgang has been previously known as a music pioneer. His debut album "Hep City Swing" (1998) was the first Punk-Swing album ever recorded. After its release, his band went on to record three full-length albums, an EP, and a couple of vinyl 7" singles. Then, during a creative lull, Parker picked up a camera and his artistic journey suddenly changed direction.
The rocker spent a short stint being published as a fashion and art photographer before burning out on the grueling process. However, he walked away with love of visual storytelling rekindled.
Parker parlayed that love into a graphic novel titled "1888: Deklin Skurlock Investigation Casebook, Vol. I.," which was successfully funded by private backers via Kickstarter and is currently in production. The campaign's success spurred him to pursue writing prose while he coped with the loss of his band of nearly two decades.
Parker was voted one of Columbus' best authors in the 2015 ColumbusUnderground.com reader's poll. He currently occupies duel roles as fiction writer and singer/bassist of a new band, Weedhaven Laughing Academy--both with releases due out in 2016.
Wolfgang has been previously known as a music pioneer. His debut album "Hep City Swing" (1998) was the first Punk-Swing album ever recorded. After its release, his band went on to record three full-length albums, an EP, and a couple of vinyl 7" singles. Then, during a creative lull, Parker picked up a camera and his artistic journey suddenly changed direction.
The rocker spent a short stint being published as a fashion and art photographer before burning out on the grueling process. However, he walked away with love of visual storytelling rekindled.
Parker parlayed that love into a graphic novel titled "1888: Deklin Skurlock Investigation Casebook, Vol. I.," which was successfully funded by private backers via Kickstarter and is currently in production. The campaign's success spurred him to pursue writing prose while he coped with the loss of his band of nearly two decades.
Parker was voted one of Columbus' best authors in the 2015 ColumbusUnderground.com reader's poll. He currently occupies duel roles as fiction writer and singer/bassist of a new band, Weedhaven Laughing Academy--both with releases due out in 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 20, 2022
Harper's had this one on her shelf for years (thanks, Edna, if you happen to read this).
For what it is (local, self-published, about talking cats), it's a surprisingly well written book. The prose succeeds more often than not. The chicken suit thing was weird as hell and kind of worked for all of us. Enough so - he says, cringing a bit - I believe there is another one in our future.
For what it is (local, self-published, about talking cats), it's a surprisingly well written book. The prose succeeds more often than not. The chicken suit thing was weird as hell and kind of worked for all of us. Enough so - he says, cringing a bit - I believe there is another one in our future.
September 23, 2016
Young teen, Jonas Shurmann, works as a volunteer at his mother’s veterinary surgery. While he doesn’t mind helping out his mother, Jonas is certainly not a fan of cats. He believes cats are spoiled, treat humans abysmally and have no manners. As he carries a feline patient into one of the consulting rooms, Jonas hears yelling. He pokes his head out and sees a man in the reception area, desperate to put a notice on their board regarding his newly missing cat. It isn’t until the notice is pinned to the board that Jonas realizes how many cats are actually missing, as the board is completely covered with notices from frantic owners. The following day, Jonas is bullied for a chicken costume his father had bought for him for the Halloween dress-up at school. During a scuffle on the way home, one of his school books is thrown into the yard of the neighborhood’s haunted mansion. As he tries to retrieve it, Jonas hears a voice nearby. When he looks up, Jonas is surprised to see the one-eyed cat, Neil Higgins, which he had been carrying to his mother’s consultation room the previous day. Neil tells Jonas to return at midnight and help investigate the feline disappearances, all of which point to the haunted house. When Jonas teams up with Neil Higgins and his investigative sidekick, CatBob, their investigations lead them directly to the haunted mansion, but nothing can possibly prepare them for the shocking secrets within.
Oddly enough, this book makes me nostalgic for my childhood, as the storyline is solid and it tells a great tale which holds the reader’s interest in its entirety. Wolfgang Parker’s tale of a bully victim who finds the superpower of being able to talk to and understand cats is unique, whilst being filled with both fun and drama. Jonas’ assumptions about cats are quite wrong, and he discovers how harrowing and endlessly dangerous life can be in a feline’s shoes. While cats are not as strong as dogs, their agility leads them to be able to escape danger by seeking out much higher ground. The lessons which Jonas learns from his feline friends enables him to safely rescue one particular cat which finds itself blinded after it is stuck with a bag on its head, but Jonas’ determination to pursue the terrified animal as the bullies look on and laugh is fueled by his mysterious connection to his new found friends. Missing is cleverly told, well thought out and reminds me of the days of well-written children’s stories by infamous author, Enid Blyton. I foresee Wolfgang Parker’s Crime Cats series being on home bookshelves for years to come, and feel that this book would be enjoyed by readers of all ages, as it contains all of the essential ingredients of an epic story: drama, despair, tragedy, humility, action, adventure, fun and a decent dose of aptly paced humor.
- Rosie Malezer for Readers’ Favorite
Oddly enough, this book makes me nostalgic for my childhood, as the storyline is solid and it tells a great tale which holds the reader’s interest in its entirety. Wolfgang Parker’s tale of a bully victim who finds the superpower of being able to talk to and understand cats is unique, whilst being filled with both fun and drama. Jonas’ assumptions about cats are quite wrong, and he discovers how harrowing and endlessly dangerous life can be in a feline’s shoes. While cats are not as strong as dogs, their agility leads them to be able to escape danger by seeking out much higher ground. The lessons which Jonas learns from his feline friends enables him to safely rescue one particular cat which finds itself blinded after it is stuck with a bag on its head, but Jonas’ determination to pursue the terrified animal as the bullies look on and laugh is fueled by his mysterious connection to his new found friends. Missing is cleverly told, well thought out and reminds me of the days of well-written children’s stories by infamous author, Enid Blyton. I foresee Wolfgang Parker’s Crime Cats series being on home bookshelves for years to come, and feel that this book would be enjoyed by readers of all ages, as it contains all of the essential ingredients of an epic story: drama, despair, tragedy, humility, action, adventure, fun and a decent dose of aptly paced humor.
- Rosie Malezer for Readers’ Favorite
June 23, 2024
Do you have a middle grade reader in your household? Find Missing, the first book in the Crime Cats series by Wolfgang Parker.
Jonas doesn't fit in with the other kids in his class, and he's not keen about the cats his mom treats at her veterinary practice. But when a cat starts talking to him, and he understands, he forms a grudging aliance to help them figure out why cats are going missing from the neighborhood.
Join Jonas, and his new cat-friends CatBob and Neil Higgins, as they search for clues and dodge the night-loving creatures roaming their Clintonville, Ohio, neighborhood. Chills, thrills, laughs, and more, make this book a fast read.
Jonas doesn't fit in with the other kids in his class, and he's not keen about the cats his mom treats at her veterinary practice. But when a cat starts talking to him, and he understands, he forms a grudging aliance to help them figure out why cats are going missing from the neighborhood.
Join Jonas, and his new cat-friends CatBob and Neil Higgins, as they search for clues and dodge the night-loving creatures roaming their Clintonville, Ohio, neighborhood. Chills, thrills, laughs, and more, make this book a fast read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews